


This Dog Is Nothing

by VeganChocolateSyrup11



Category: All For the Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: M/M, Therapy Dog, emotional support pet, past death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-22 22:37:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8303785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VeganChocolateSyrup11/pseuds/VeganChocolateSyrup11
Summary: Drabble about what would happen if Neil had not survived Baltimore and Andrew was forced to get an emotional support companion as a therapy treatment.





	

It has been almost a year, and Andrew had not gotten any better. Bee had spoken to him about various treatments that might aid in his coping, but none of them struck a chord with him. As soon as she mentioned medication, his eyes darkened within a fraction of a second; she scratched that idea immediately. 

It was hard for the foxes to see him in the state that he was in. He was a black hole, sucking out the energy and emotion of anyone that even dared to look his way. He still played exy because he had to, but he never put in more effort than was necessary, if he put any effort at all.

Andrew Minyard was nothing.

Somehow, with just the right words and some sort of shrink magic, Bee was able to convince him to go through with one of the therapeutic treatments she had previously suggested. He was very indifferent about the idea, and it was that indifference that gave Bee the chance to get him to agree. 

That was how Andrew ended up with a service dog.

He was not very fond of animals, and the idea of having a dog to take care of was not appealing to Andrew at all, but the hound that was given to him was anything but needy. 

Bee dropped him off at the fox tower after signing some papers with the hall resident. Nicky opened the door when he heard the knocking at their dormitory door, immediately breaking into a fit of squeals at the sight of the English Foxhound at Bee’s side. It wagged its tail twice, lifting its head slightly to get a better look at the new human before him.

Andrew was not thrilled at the sight of it.

Bee introduced the dog as Pascal, Andrew’s new therapy dog starting from that day forward. He was to take it with him to his classes and exy practice. If the dog did not help with his condition within a month, Bee was willing to take it back and search for a different treatment. She left the canine with the boys, and after explaining how to properly look after it, she left.

Needless to say, Andrew tried to ignore that dog as long as he could. He was not sure what was worse: the dog breath on his face in the morning when the dog would poke his head with its wet nose to wake him, or the tiny white hairs that would end up all over his black clothes.

It being a hunting dog, it needed plenty of exercise, so Andrew talked Kevin into taking it with him on his morning runs to get a break from it every now and then. During exy practices, though, it would run laps with the team and proceeded to sit by the bench and watch the ball being thrown back and forth with intense eyes. 

Pascal would sit under Andrew’s desk during his lectures, waiting quietly at his feet for the class to be over. Andrew was not sure when it became a comfort to feel its warm weight leaning against his legs rather than an annoyance. 

When he would sit on his beanbag, watching Nicky play videogames, the dog would calmly curl up by his feet, leaning its chin on Andrew’s lap if his position allowed it. He was not sure when he begun to stroke the soft fur on its neck without even thinking about it. 

Pascal was taken to games and would sit beside Andrew whenever he was not put on the court. The fans loved it, as well as the vixens, but the canine would not leave Andrew’s side. Its popularity led to Pascal’s unofficial title as the team’s mascot, and Dan would put a pair of the Palmetto orange fox ears the students wore on it until they could make a custom jersey for it.

Andrew was not sure when he became used to the warmth pooling at his feet while he slept, or at the quick patter of paws beside him as he jogged a lap beside Renee during practices. When the dog breath stopped being disgusting, or when he found comfort on the small licks at his hand whenever they tensed at the mention of His name.

Pascal sat beside him on the roof, watching Andrew as he sucked another breath of nicotine and exhaled it as a cloud of dark smoke. He narrowed his eyes at the canine’s bright ones.

“You are nothing to me,” He spoke to the dog. The foxhound did not react. “I knew nothing, once. Nothing that wanted to become something.” He flicked some ashes toward the dog, which flinched at the sudden movement but did not make any move to stand. “Are you okay with being nothing?”

The dog was calm, watching him with a warm, curious gaze. Andrew found it endearing and irritable at once, but he let it be and continued to work at his cigarette in relative silence.

The next time Dan brought up the idea of making a custom jersey for Pascal, the foxes began discussing the number it should have on the back. They were torn between the numbers 0 or 3.5, but Andrew decided to offer his opinion.

“Ten.”

The team froze, watching Andrew as he adjusted the bright orange collar around Pascal’s neck.

“Are you sure, Andrew?” Dan asked him. 

It’s been almost a year since Neil did not return from Baltimore. His body was found one minute too late, mutilated to the point that it was almost unrecognizable. 

Andrew stared at the dog rather than turning to his teammates. Its soft blue eyes stared back at him, content with just watching over Andrew. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

That dog meant nothing to Andrew, but nothing meant everything when it meant Neil.

**Author's Note:**

> this is kind of rushed so im sorry ;;  
> I hope you enjoy anyway  
> find me on tumblr as savemoreau


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